Michigan State University
4-6-1, 0-0-0Big Ten
North Dakota
7-5-3, 2-3-1NCHC
Spartans Tie No. 5 North Dakota, 2-2
11/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - A night after a 4-3 victory, the Michigan State hockey team came up just short in its bid to sweep No. 5 North Dakota, playing the Fighting Hawks to a 2-2 tie on Saturday night at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks. After a scoreless 5-on-5 overtime, the two teams played a 3-on-3 OT session in accordance with National Collegiate Hockey Conference rules and MSU's Jerad Rosburg scored 58 seconds into the extra frame. The game stands as a tie in the NCAA standings.
Spartan goaltender Ed Minney made 32 saves as the Spartans improved to 4-6-1.
"I thought Ed played really well," MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. "I thought he looked very comfortable in the net and played with a lot of poise."
Michigan State opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal 7:36 into the first period courtesy of hard work by the penalty-killing duo of Joe Cox and Thomas Ebbing.
Ebbing started the play when he forced the puck out of the MSU zone near the blue line on the left side, pushing it ahead to Cox. With a pair of UND defenders chasing Cox, he got off a backhander that UND goaltender Cam Johnson got a shoulder on and turned to the corner. But the rebound went back to Cox who made a nice move and then found Ebbing streaking down the slot where he one-timed the puck home.
The lead lasted just 39 seconds as UND's Zach Yon struck back at the 8:15 mark, beating Minney from the slot with a high shot.
The Fighting Hawks used a power-play goal to take a 2-1 lead with 7:35 to play in the first on a slap shot from the right point by Tucker Poolman.
North Dakota pressed the Spartans early in the second period, but a few consecutive saves by Minney and then a stretch pass that sprung Taro Hirose quickly turned things in the Spartans' favor. Hirose's backhand attempt on a semi-breakaway sailed high, but the puck got caught in a scrum behind the UND net â€" along with the goaltender - and a clearing attempt in front was easily intercepted by Patrick Khodorenko and deposited in the nearly open net to tie the game, 2-2, with 14:19 to play in the frame.
The Spartans' best chance to take the lead in the third period came just past the midway point when Cox stepped into a one-timer from the right circle that Johnson was able to deny.
Despite a 34-19 edge in shots on goal for UND, Anastos was pleased with the Spartans' ability to limit North Dakota's high-quality chances.
"I thought we played well tonight," Anastos said. "I thought in many different regards we played better tonight than last night. We didn't generate the shots we would have liked to, but they're a good defensive team. I thought in spite of the shot differential, a lot of their shots were from the perimeter, so I thought we defended pretty well and didn't give up a lot off the rush. Pretty good effort, overall."
Up next, the Spartans will play their annual exhibition game against the USNTDP U-18 team on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. at Munn.
